Youngsters renting apartment for fun

IndiaTimes

November 26, 2011

What do you do when all you need is a relaxed shut-eye, after a hard day's work and a harrowing train ride back home, but your mother just won't stop badgering you about your cobweb kingdom of a room? What if all you want to do is have some fun, but you're too darned broke to splurge on a night out at a nightclub? Or perhaps the only thing you need is a quiet room where, along with your friends, you can do some concentrated combined studies, just days before your semester exams.

Well, if you belong to a rapidly-growing breed of youngsters in the city, you've probably grouped together with your pals, pooled in some cash and rented an apartment, solely for yourselves - a home away from home... in the same city. For those of you who aren't (yet) part of this clan: take note.

When software engineer Sriram Venkatesan's friend from Bangalore, Sreejith, got transferred to Chennai and was scouting around for a onebedroom bachelor pad, Sriram and a host of other common friends came up with a brainwave. "The need for a space outside home to unwind was at its peak and so, we told Sreejith that we'd each pitch in a certain amount so that he could take a two-bedroom apartment," explains Sriram, "We pay him our part of the rent every month, and in turn, we're free to use the house whenever we want. Having this space to hang out works out way cheaper than going out every single time. We've set up a gaming console and a DVD system, so that all our needs are met within the four walls. We all have our own families and homes, so most of us only go in the evening to chill out with our friends for a while, when we need some quiet, or when there's a party happening."

Then there are those who've made these apartments their weekday home - only going back to their real homes for the weekend. "Since most of us have never lived outside home, we thought this would be the perfect opportunity to taste independence," elaborates architect Ashwin Shekar, "It's not all merry though. Once the novelty of being away from parents and with friends all the time wears off, there is all the laundry to do, and how economically feasible can it be to order food in every single day? So, now we take turns cooking, taking out the garbage and even washing our own clothes. It's a learning experience, but it's all worth it!"

So, what are these places used for, most commonly? "Parties!" pipes, Rohan Philip, a musician and student, "These apartments are used in large part to host wild wine-and-dine sessions, so long as the neighbours aren't disturbed. Others use the house to do movie marathons or gaming, while some students shut themselves in their rooms for hours on end, cramming up as much as possible before an exam. Poker nights are also popular, but the most common activity is bumming about without a care in the world."

But, one might wonder, which house owner would be silly enough to trust a bunch of testosterone-fuelled young men with his house? Sure, there must be restrictions aplenty... but these enterprising youngsters seem to have worked around them, using the loopholes to their advantage. "The toughest part is actually managing the rent money and handling the finances properly within the group," reveals Sriram, "We try to keep the owners by behaving responsibly...well, at least we make it appear that way. Yes, some neighbours do get suspicious when they see a bunch of boys getting an apartment, but we've given them very few reasons to complain till now."